


But She's Dead

by thesalsagamer396



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Alternate Realities, F/M, Fix-It, Mentions of Mary, Mentions of alcoholism, ambiguous ending, based on the cult ending, bit of a, joseph tries to make up for what he did, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 11:24:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12011703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesalsagamer396/pseuds/thesalsagamer396
Summary: The work of a cryptid was the first thing he thought of. But, what would a cryptid want from him to give him his wife and child back? Someone wants to keep him happy while something happens to him in the real world. He reflected on his knowledge of supposedly mythical creatures. What could want to keep him calm by giving him his life back?





	But She's Dead

**Author's Note:**

> Give me your comments! Feed me! Give me life!

**_Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep_ **

_Steady. Consistant. Repeating._

**_Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep_ **

_Constant. Unrelenting. Never stops the beeping._

**_Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep_ **

_It almost sounds like—_

**_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._ **

Robert slowly opened his eyes, though he could barely see anything with his vision so blurry. He felt so weak…What happened last night? He only had five shots of whiskey.

And this did not feel or sound like his room.

“Robby…?! Robby, can you hear me?!”

That voice…Wait! But that’s impossible!

His eyes were wide open. He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn’t let him. His eyes scanned the area around him.

Ok, he was in a hospital. That much is clear. And looking at him from above…

“M…Mare…?” His voice was strained, as if he hadn’t used his voice in years.

“Oh Robby…We thought…Oh God, you’re alive…! You’re alive!”

Tears dripped down from Marilyn’s face and onto his cheek. His wife had dropped down and held him close with a sort of gentleness he was unused to.

“But…But you died…I was—”

“Shhh…It was just a bad dream, Robby…It was a bad dream and you’re awake now. It’s ok. You’re awake…”

“Wha…What happened…?”

“There was an accident…We almost died…I made it out with one leg missing, but you…You went into a coma.”

“But, how—”

“Mr. Small. It’s good to see you wake up. We were starting to lose hope that you would.”

A doctor had made himself known in the room. He brought the head of the bed up so that Robert was sitting up.

“But…This is impossible…Mare, you died…!”

“I thought so, too…But I have a brand new leg, and I’m walking again. Val missed you so much, you know.”

“Val’s here…? But…But she’s in New York…!”

“Mr. Small, you are just recalling the dreams you had during your coma. It’s common to dream during them. But it’s ok now. You’re officially awake. We’re going to bring you some water. When you get your strength back, we’ll move on to solid foods. And from there, you get to go home. Does that sound like a plan?”

Robert made to protest. He honestly tried to. But, he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He was so tired. He felt like an entire day went by in this fourteen-minute conversation. He simply nodded and closed his eyes. He could deal with this later.

But, he knew something was wrong. There was no way that this was real. He remembered everything. Even the little details. If it was all a dream, then he wouldn’t have remembered as many days as he did.

The work of a cryptid was the first thing he thought of. But, what would a cryptid want from him to give him his wife and child back? Someone wants to keep him happy while something happens to him in the real world. He reflected on his knowledge of supposedly mythical creatures. What could want to keep him calm by giving him his life back?

Ugh, he was so tired. Of all the times he would be tired, it would be when he needs to think the most. Curse whatever monster did this to him. No, this couldn’t be on purpose…

Hold on. If this is a dream, then…

Robert opened his eyes. “Don’t wanna sleep…”

“Mr. Small, I advise you to get some—”

“Could you get me a knife and a block of wood…I wanna whittle.”

“Excuse me?”

“Since when do you whittle?”

“Mr. Small, you have just woken up for a coma! Your hands are not ready to even hold a pen to paper, let alone do something as dangerous as whittle!”

“I need to make sure this isn’t a dream. If I’m awake, and it was all a dream, then I shouldn’t be able to whittle.”

“Mr. Small, please! You are not ready to hold a knife!”

“Robby!”

“Please…”

The world grew dark. Exhaustion was overtaking his senses. No…! Not yet! Not yet!

**_“You know, I didn’t think you’d figure it out so quickly. You could’ve at least indulged me for a day. I mean, c’mon Rob. Can’t you just be the kind of man to enjoy something while it lasts?”_ **

Robert was very much aware in the blink of his eyes. He was standing next to the bed, looking at his own body. His wife was sitting on the other side of the bed, holding his hand. Looking down at his out-of-body self, he was wearing his usual attire of his leather jacket, red shirt, and wrinkled jeans.

He turned around to see him. Him being…Joseph. Of course. The bane of his existence. The Youth Minister was not in his usual pastel clothing that made him look so disgustingly sweet and innocent. He was wearing black robes, revealing his true nature.

This wasn’t a God-fearing human. Shoot, he might not even be human at all.

“I should’ve known you were cause for this. What do you want, demon?”

**_“Youch. Robert, you could at least say hello to me before you interrogate me. And for the record, I’m not looking for much from you. This is only for your happiness. An apology for all of the misery I’ve caused you.”_ **

“…I’m not the only one you should be apologizing to. If you’re looking for forgiveness, start with Mary. If you can’t get it from here, you’re certainly not getting it from me.”

And it was true. This is the man that has claimed credit for all of these single, eligible dads losing their spouses one way or another. His creepy cult deity had fed on the misery of the men in the cul’ de sac. At least, that’s what Joseph said.

**_“All of these accusations! Could you at least hear me out?! Actually listen to me for once?!”_ **

“Why should I?!”

**_“Don’t you see what I’m trying to give you?! Look! There is your wife! Alive!”_ **

“She’s not real! None of this is real! Marilyn died in that car crash! Don’t lie to me!”

**_“It is, though! I was only giving you a sample of what I want to give to you!”_ **

“Why, though?! Your deity feeds off of our misery! What would giving me my life do for you?!”

**_“This will sound crazy, but you have to hear me out on this one.”’_ **

The scene changed. It became a simple room with two comfortable-looking chairs that were facing each other. Between them and to either side were two moderate sized TVs. On the screen of one of them was the room in the hospital in normal time.

_“It’s alright, Mrs. Small. He’s just resting. He’ll be awake again in the morning. I suggest you go home and get some rest. You can come back during morning visiting hours.”_

_“Ok…Ok…”_

Marilyn kissed the Robert on the bed on the cheek before picking up her bag and leaving.

On the other screen, Robert was sitting down at the bar at Jim & Kim’s passed out with a shot glass in his hand. He was drooling as he slept while Neil was serving other customers, what little there were. The scene was a sad one. There he was. All alone. Miserable. Drunk.

The real Robert sat down on one of the chairs, Joseph taking the seat opposite of him.

**_“So, I was reading a couple passages from the book of Revelations for the very first time. I was getting ready for Sunday School class next week. I…I don’t know why, but I went all the way to the beginning of the book. And as I was reading, I realized something strange.”_ **

“Yeah? Reading about the end of the world is considered strange.”

**_“No, I mean…I mean it all made sense to me. I understood everything about what I was reading. But here’s the thing, Rob. It’s not supposed to make so much sense. The book of Revelation is supposed to be so complex, people don’t decipher its whole meaning in their lifetime, even if they devoted their entire life to it!”_ **

“Well, you do worship a misery-loving deity.”

**_“After I read it all, I just…I look at my “children” and I feel disgusted! It…The book of Revelations gave ME a revelation of sorts. Because I realized that the thing I was worshipping was the very same Devil in the Bible…I don’t know why it took me so long to see it, but…My eyes opened up, Rob.”_ **

“…And? That supposed to make me believe you? It doesn’t even sound like a whole story. Come on, Joseph, I know you can spin a better story than that.”

**_“I get you don’t believe me. And I don’t blame you. That thing is sure to notice what I’m doing soon. I’ve done everything I could for all of our neighbors to make them happy again. I couldn’t be too real with them, though…They couldn’t know how far down the rabbit hole I was. You’re the last neighbor left.”_ **

“And Mary? What are you going to do for Mary?”

**_“…I’ll be giving her husband back. The Joseph you know as me will no longer exist. He will be a God-loving, God-fearing man again. One that is faithful to his wife despite his sinful desires. That good enough for you?”_ **

“…So what’s the deal with the TVs? Am I supposed to jump into the screen of the life I want to live?”

Joseph laughed as though it was the funniest and stupidest thing he ever heard. Robert narrowed his eyes to a glare, clearly annoyed with how the other man could think that this was a laughing matter.

**_“Ohhh Robert Robert Robert. Silly goose. Of course not. It’s much more sensible than that.”_ **

The demon gestured to the middle of them. There was a coffee table there that Robert was sure wasn’t there before. On the coffee table sat a TV remote.

**_“All you have to do is point the remote and turn off the TV with the life you don’t want. Turn off your current life, and you will go back to your living wife, living happily with your neighbors with not-dead spouses and/or children that love them just a little more.”_ **

“You make a compelling argument. But, why am I passed out at Jim & Kim’s? I never get that wasted.”

**_“Everyone else agreed to my deal. So they are living happier lives. Especially Mary since her husband never cheated on her in the current line of events I have set up. So, you’re all alone. Miserable. Mourning your sweet and loving wife while everyone else offers you their pity. You don’t even have your daughter to console you. And no Mary to stop you. You have no one, Rob. That is why you are passed out at Jim & Kim’s.”_ **

The look on Joseph’s face was intense. There were embers in his eyes with a certain passion in them. Robert had never seen the man like this. He was usually so dull and fake. This is the most real he has ever seen him. It was rather frightening, if he were to be honest.

But…That was reality he was talking about.

Marilyn was dead. Robert killed her. It was all his fault. And now Joseph just…wants to make it all better?!

“…Why are you _really_ doing this?”

Joseph was about to say something, but he thought against it. He looked away from Robert, letting out a sigh of despair. **_“I’m about to die, anyway. May as well put things back the way I found them before I leave. And if you don’t make a decision soon, I won’t be able to help Mary.”_**

“About to die?”

**_“The deity I had foolishly worshipped found out about my discovery. If it has seen my recent actions, it will come after me and kill me.”_ **

When the words sunk in fully, Robert looked at the remote control and picked it up. He looked at the screen.

Did he want a dream…Or did he want to wake up alone?

He pointed at his undesired scenario and turned the TV screen off.

**Author's Note:**

> Which do you think he chose? Harsh reality instead of a potential? Or a potential second chance over a lonely existence?


End file.
